{{Short description|American musician (born 1956)}} {{BLP sources|date=November 2020}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}} {{Infobox musical artist | image = Billy Hector (cropped).jpg | caption = Hector performing at Big Danny's wake at Red Fusion in Asbury Park, New Jersey, 2007 | alias = | birth_place = Orange, New Jersey, U.S. | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1956}} | instrument = Vocals, guitar | genre = Blues, rock, folk rock | occupation = Musician, singer-songwriter | years_active = | label = Ghetto Surf Music | website = {{url|billyhector.com}} }}
'''Billy Hector''' (born 1956) is an American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter from Orange, New Jersey.<ref name=birthdaynyt>Coyne, Kevin, [https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/07/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/07colnj.html, Still Strumming and Rocking After All These Years]. September 7, 2008. ''The New York Times.'' Retrieved July 2011.</ref>
==History== Hector was initially lured into the music world after seeing the Beatles on the ''Ed Sullivan Show''. He says this changed his world.<ref name="PAC2013">{{cite news|last=Semet|first=Scott|title=Band of the Week: Billy Hector|newspaper=Press of Atlantic City|date=September 18, 2013}}</ref> He soon found himself drawn to the blues. He started taking guitar lessons at age 9, and later studied jazz guitar and music history at William Paterson University.<ref name="PAC2013"/>
Hector started playing regularly in a blues band in 1985.<ref name="PAC2013"/> He has been producing albums for over 20 years while performing primarily in small clubs.<ref name=albumparty>DeMasters, Karen, [https://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/01/nyregion/jersey-footlights-album-party-for-billy-hector.html "JERSEY FOOTLIGHTS; Album Party for Billy Hector"], ''The New York Times'', April 1, 2001. Retrieved July 9, 2011.</ref>
Hector's guitar style is a combination of Jersey Shore blues and rock n roll.<ref name=jerseysound>Selzer, Hal B. [http://www.theaquarian.com/2010/03/26/local-noise-billy-hector-stayin%E2%80%99-alive/ Local Noise: Billy Hector – Stayin' Alive]. March 26, 2010. ''The Aquarian.'' Retrieved December 20, 2011.</ref>
As of 2013, his band consisted of Hector on guitar and vocals, Timmy Tindall on bass, and Dan Hickey on drums.<ref name="PAC2013"/>
Hector received the Best Guitarist Award from music critic Bob Makin of ''The Aquarian Weekly''{{'}}s East Coast Rocker section twice.<ref name=awards>[http://www.jsjbf.org/bands_detail.php?id_band=211 Billy Hector Band] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213140005/http://jsjbf.org/bands_detail.php?id_band=211 |date=December 13, 2010 }}. Jersey Shore Jazz Blues Foundation. Retrieved July 9, 2011.</ref> He is also the recipient of three Asbury Park Music Awards: "Best Guitarist", "Best Blues Band" and the "Living Legend."<ref name=awards/> Hector and his band were billed alongside Bonnie Raitt at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's "Tribute to Muddy Waters".<ref name=awards/>
Hector has played with B. B. King,<ref name=birthdaynyt/> Bo Diddley, Johnny Winter, Buddy Guy, Dr. John, and The Fabulous Thunderbirds,<ref name=jerseysound/> but is most at home in small clubs.<ref name=birthdaynyt/> He was the touring guitarist for Hubert Sumlin and Joe Louis Walker.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}}
He appeared in the movie ''Hellhound on My Trail'' backing Sonny Landreth, and in ''One Way Out''.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}}
==Discography== *1988 (45 rpm single) "Your Time Is At Hand" / "If You Love Me Like You Say (You Wouldn't Treat Me Like You Do)" *1989 ''All The Way Live'' *1993 ''Wild, Wild Beast'' *1993 ''And The Crowd Went Wild!!!'' *1994 ''Cold Wind'' *1997 ''Hard to Please'' *2000 ''What Can a Poor Boy Do?'' *2001 ''Duct Tape Life'' *2002 ''Busy Man'' *2002 ''Undertow'' *2003 ''Stonehenge'' *2003 ''Out of Order'' *2005 ''Alive and Kickin''' *2007 ''Hard Rockin' Blues'' *2009 ''Traveler'' *2013 ''Choice Cuts'' *2014 ''Fire Within'' *2015 ''Old School Thang'' *2019 ''Someday Baby'' *2022 ''Rock Night in Jersey''
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hector, Billy}} Category:1956 births Category:Living people Category:American folk singers Category:American male singer-songwriters Category:American rock guitarists Category:American blues guitarists Category:American male guitarists Category:Jersey Shore musicians Category:Musicians from Orange, New Jersey Category:Singer-songwriters from New Jersey Category:Guitarists from New Jersey Category:20th-century American guitarists Category:20th-century American male musicians